Above: Our beautiful 1000 year old agriturismo, Borgo Argenina, in the Chianti Classico Region of Tuscany.
TRAINER TRAVEL TIPS |"Now I lay me down to sleep"
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Assisi, PerugiaWhere we laid our heads|
Hotel Ideale, Assisi (we booked the family room) How long we stayed |2 nights The Verdict: 2 nights was fine to see Assisi, this is a town we would return to. It's peaceful and charming, especially in the mornings and evenings. |
ASSISI & NORCIA HIGHLIGHTS
Norcia, St. Benedict's Birthplace
Assisi, St. Francis' Basilica, San Domiano & Church of St. Clare, St. Francis Hermitage
What we ate: Norcia meats, Truffles!!
Norcia, St. Benedict's Birthplace
Assisi, St. Francis' Basilica, San Domiano & Church of St. Clare, St. Francis Hermitage
What we ate: Norcia meats, Truffles!!
- Hotel Grotta Azzurra/Ristorante, in Norcia. We stumbled upon, and later discovered is listed in Fred Plotkin's Italy for the Gourmet Traveler. (As an aside, Fred Plotkin is a fascinating guest on several of Rick Steves' Audio Europe Travel App Italy Podcasts.) We enjoyed a patio lunch on another very, very hot day. But, if I were you, I'd make a late dinner reservations and linger over a wonderful meal in their dining room. Also, right next to the church (where St. Benedict was born) the monks have a brewery. Try the "birra"!
- Trattoria Pallotta, Assisi, yummy truffles!
TRAINER TRAVEL TIPS | laundry & sundries
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"Wrapping up our time in Assisi and heading into the Tuscan countryside. We have lots to ponder about the life and faith of St. Francis, St. Clare and others. And we've enjoyed many great conversations as a family about how and why religious practice is similar and dissimilar to the expression of the church today. And how, as today, there is a marked difference between the life of discipleship and religion. And how the pendulum is always swinging between reform and extremities." -Trainer Travel Journal
Chianti en Gaiole, Tuscany |
Where we laid our heads|
Borgo Argenina, a 1000 year-old agriturismo in Chianti en Gaiole How long we stayed| 5 nights The Verdict: We loved the slower pace that being in the same location afforded. This was a great home base from which to explore the Hilltowns and Wine Regions of Chianti, Montepulciano & Montalcino. 5 nights was a nice amount of time, although there was a lot we didn't see and could have easily extended to a week. This is where we chant Rick's mantra: "Assume you will return!" |
TUSCANY HIGHLIGHTS
A swirl of Tuscan Hilltowns: Cortona, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, (Mount Olivette Bendicitine Monastery).
Diving deeper into the "Fermentation" part of Neil's Sabbatical theme of "Formation and Fermentation":
A swirl of Tuscan Hilltowns: Cortona, Siena, San Gimignano, Volterra, (Mount Olivette Bendicitine Monastery).
Diving deeper into the "Fermentation" part of Neil's Sabbatical theme of "Formation and Fermentation":
- Exploring the Chianti Classico Region: Castello De Brolio, and it's Barone Ricasoli Winery (oldest winery in Italy and second oldest in the world). Elena's excellent dinner suggestion: Trattoria La Grotta della Rana.
- Montepulcipano for Vino di Nobile: Contucci Winery, De' Ricci Cellars.
- Montalcino to sample world-famed Brunello: Caffe Fiaschetteria (founded in 1888, where Brunello was first served), Elena Nappa's dinner recommendation, Tenuta le Potazzine.
NEIL's ROSE Thursday, July 9
Wine tasting at I Sodi "In many ways, it was exactly what I had hoped wine tasting in Tuscany would be like! After working our way up the long gravel road, we pulled up to the old building. It was quiet and the green of the vineyards and olive trees rolled off in every direction. We got out of the car, and an older man came around the side of the building. As we started talking he made two apologies - the first for his poor English (far better than our Italian!) and the second for his appearance. He was shirtless and wearing old elastic-waisted shorts now being held in place awkwardly by a belt. This was Danilo. Now 78 years old, he and his family have been working the land and making wine here since the early 1970's . . . . . . At the end of the tour was the best part - the tasting! After the Chianti Reserve we tried the sweet Vin Santo, and that was a big hit with Kristi. We concluded with a tasting of Danilo's olive oil. First he had us eat bread with the oil drizzled over it. But what was cool was when he had us slurp some off a spoon and feel how it "lit up" the back of the throat after a few moments. This, Danilo said, is a sign of good olive oil. If it doesn't hit you in the back of the throat, then it's not good. So, of course, we left with bottles of Olive Oil and Vin Santo, and big smiles on our faces!" - Trainer Travel Journal, Neil |
Vernazza, Cinque Terre
Where we laid our heads | Vernazza, VRBO #460248
How long we stayed | 2 nights The Verdict: Barely enough time to get a taste of this coastal region. We probably should have stayed longer! Lots of young people, crowds diminished at night, casual and relaxed. |
CINQUE TERRE HIGHLIGHTS
Hiking the Cinque Terre, playing in the Mediterranean
What we ate: Great seafood, including sardines & pesto!
Hiking the Cinque Terre, playing in the Mediterranean
What we ate: Great seafood, including sardines & pesto!
Ciao, Italia! (And a Lesson about Trains Learned the Hard Way)
"A long travel day with all of the requisite ups and downs that accompany transport in a foreign country. We woke today a little nervous about the 3 train transfers as we leave Italy and go to Geneva. We (meaning Neil) hustled down the many, many steep steps from the VRBO with every suitcase. Dripping before we even leave! First train from Vernazza at 7:32AM to Sestri Levanti, where we made tight 6 minute connection smoothly enough. The next train, from Sestri Levanti to Milan, though, was treacherous. This was our first non-regional train, and we misunderstood that these trains have assigned seats, in cars assigned by class. So, unknowingly, we didn't get on the right car, or in the right seats. Oops! |
Neither the condescending Italian Conductor, nor the indignant French Gentleman whose seat we had accidentally planted ourselves in were very happy with us. We were shooed out of the railcar at the next stop and offered no help or guidance as to where to locate our proper seats. Somehow we figured out that we needed to be 6 cars back and began running down the train, boarding as the doors closed into an extremely over-crowded carriage. It took quite a bit of skill, tenacity and "mi scuzi's" to navigate to our assigned seats - which we found already occupied. Trying not to make a scene or be impolite and using nominal Italian, Neil had to ask these folks to move, as there were no other open seats. Stress! Lesson learned the hard way. From now on, we'll carefully check to see if tickets indicate specific cars and seats! It took several stops before our heartbeats returned to normal and we didn't feel as if the entire train was staring at us "rookie Americans". So glad to get off at Milan and start over! To our relief, the rest of the day went with out a hitch, and we were enraptured watching the scenery change as we wound away from Milan, through Northern Italy, past Lake Como and into Switzerland." - Trainer Travel Journal
Geneva, Switzerland (In which Neil geeks out on John Calvin and the Reformation.)
Where we laid our heads | Hotel Edelweiss
How long we stayed | 2 nights The Verdict: Geneva is expensive! ("The most expensive pizza we've ever eaten. Hard to pay these prices, but don't feel like we have much choice.") While we know this isn't a city highlighted by Rick Steves, we came specifically because of Neil's interest in John Calvin and the role this city played in the Great Reformation. We were impressed with the Reformation Museum, and Neil was so glad to experience this city where John Calvin lived and taught. Glad we came, and we all agreed that we'd like to come back and explore more of Switzerland. |
THORNS-N-ROSES |